What do You think about Snow In August (1999)?
Even though the 'gutter' language the young boys use in this book offended me the interplay of the Jewish and Catholic people was thoroughly thought out and plays well in this book about friends in New York City. A young boy has the requisite two best friends one Polish and one Italian. they run the neighborhood narrowly escaping the 'gang' that terrorizes the community. When our main character a 12 year-old boy lands in the hospital at the beating of the gang members the story takes a dramatic turn.
—Linda
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. For one thing, the readers had the chance to literally see the growth of independence and confidence in Michael. From being a kid nobody really knew or cared for, and being talked into stupid things by Sonny, he stood up for what he knew was right. I also loved experiencing Prague and the Jewish culture through Rabbi Hirsch. It was just an added bonus to the existing plot. I also found it interesting to see the prejudice and segregation, only because though many people were for it, many people were wildly against it. Though I did enjoy the book in general, I feel that the ending absolutely killed the entire thing. The book was being completely realistic and compelling until the last chapter or so, when Michael ends up awakening the Golem and defeating the Falcons (the enemy gang), and bringing Rabbi Hirsch's dead wife back to life. It would've gone perfectly with an old disney movie, a fairy tale, or a comic strip. Especially since the Golem ends up flinging chairs and tables at the Falcons, stooping to the same level as them. One of the morals of the story, non-violence, was defeated at that point, and in my opinion, it was completely unrealistic. If not for the ending, I would have LOVED this book.
—Mrinaalika
I'll be honest, this book was tough for me to get into. I picked up a used copy after a recommendation from my boyfriend's sister's mother-in-law (did that even make any sense?) during our Florida vacation and, being a complete book-buying fiend, figured I'd give it a shot. I commute on a train for almost three hours for four days a week, so having something to read during the ride is definitely something I'm interested in and I threw this book in my bag. I opened it in the morning and after about twenty pages, I closed it and left it in my bag for about two weeks. I even read another book instead, choosing to ignore this one for the time being. But then I figured I'd give it another chance and I'm glad I did.This novel is set shortly after World War II in Brooklyn where an eleven-year-old Michael Devlin, the son of working class Irish immigrants, loves comic books, the Dodgers, and his friends. Then he befriends a rabbi and his life is forever changed. We then follow Michael and Rabbi Hirsch as they forge a tight bond, learn from each other, deal with neighborhood animosity and violence, and do their best to be good people. What I enjoyed about this book was you slowly learn more and more about these characters and you begin to feel as though they're real people whose lives have been recorded for you to read. Also, I liked that it was an emotional tale that made me feel enraged at some of the actions in the book. But mostly I loved following Michael Devlin around and seeing the awe and wonder that he saw all around.This book is about faith and friendship, love and loyalty. Above all, this book is about magic--in all its forms.
—Justyna
